AR HB1486

Amends Arkansas Code § 9-10-113 to establish that the biological mother is the legal primary custodian of a child born outside of marriage when paternity has not been established through court order, birth certificate, acknowledgement of paternity filing, or DNA testing.

Requires custody to be determined under § 9-13-101 (standard custody law) once paternity is established through any of the four specified methods.

Allows a biological father who has established paternity to petition the circuit court for custody by demonstrating he is a fit parent, has assumed responsibility for the child's care and support, and that custody is in the child's best interest.

Protects parental rights by providing that a court cannot find a parent failed to establish a parental relationship if the other parent willfully concealed or withheld the child, and may consider this a material change of circumstances.

Amends Arkansas Code § 9-13-101(a)(1)(A) to apply custody award standards to all cases rather than only divorce actions, and establishes that joint custody is favored in Arkansas.